Social Problems: A Concern for Civil Engineers?

Civil engineers today are caught up in, as individuals, and confronted with, as a profession, the activism related to the so-called social problems of the day. It would seem appropriate that both the individual and profession respond positively to these challenges. The message is beginning to come through loud and clear! If we, as civil engineers, want to retain any semblance of our position as a profession, we must, individually and collectively, assume leadership to respond actively to the message from the disadvantaged and underprivileged as well as from the advantaged and privileged. The fact that these demands are still made of ASCE and its members is an expression of confidence in the ability and the leadership potential of ASCE. Social problems are a concern for civil engineers.